Appendix A - Updated Shared Physician Recruitment Incentive Support Model - October 2023
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Shared Physician Recruitment Incentive Support Model – Family Physicians, Internal
Medicine, Hospitalists, Emergency Medicine and Surgery Trained Physicians
October 10, 2023
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this report to the Town of Tillsonburg Community Health Care Committee is to
propose an amendment to the Physician Recruitment Incentive Support Model that is currently in
place.
BACKGROUND
In January 2016, a Shared Physician Recruitment Incentive Support Model was implemented
collaboratively between the Town of Tillsonburg and Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital
(TDMH). At that time, it was recognized that family physicians are critical to the town’s further
growth and prosperity.
In August of 2020, it was noted that three important factors had changed the landscape for
physician recruitment, necessitating a re-evaluation of the incentive framework. First, it remains apparent that as the demographics of the population of our community ages the health care needs of our patient population have become increasingly complex necessitating the need to recruit physicians specially trained in areas like cardiology, respirology and gerontology. Secondly, the acuity of patients seen in our Emergency Department (ED) has increased. Lastly,
our physicians are aging. Family physicians, with increasing frequency, are expressing the desire to limit their practice to their offices and are opting out of hospital based medicine.
At present there are currently seven (7) family physicians in Tillsonburg who provide coverage of the Emergency Department with the assistance of Health Force Ontario physicians. Of note,
one of the physicians is over the age of 60. Sources from both the Ontario Medical Association
(OMA) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) agree that an average age of 65 would be reasonable to assume as the time most physicians would cease to practice full-time. Our ED physicians have expressed that it is their opinion that 24/7 coverage by seven ED physicians is not sustainable and recruitment of additional ED physicians is crucial to
maintain the present level of hospital service in Tillsonburg and surrounding area. These factors
are driving the need for TDMH to recruit specialist physicians in Internal Medicine, Hospitalists, Surgeons and also ED Trained Physicians.
The elements described above are creating an unprecedented pressure to recruit physicians into
our community; however, we are experiencing difficulty in attracting these skilled professionals.
As highlighted in the past and what is still relevant today in 2023 is that financial incentives have
and will increase the probability in the future of physicians relocating to the community.
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OBJECTIVE
To ensure the ongoing sustainability/viability of the hospital is imperative that physicians with
appropriate training are available to service the community. As such we are recommending the
following financial incentive model for all physicians recruited into our community including family
physicians and specialty trained physicians.
Shared Physician Recruitment Incentive Support Model Details:
FAMILY PHYSICIAN SPECIALTY PHYSICIAN
• Contribute up to $5,000.00 in moving
expenses for relocation to Tillsonburg
(with appropriate receipts).
• The physician recruit must reside within 15
kilometers of Tillsonburg.
NOTE: IF physician is relocating from
outside of Ontario, the incentive is increase
to $10,000
$5,000.00
$10,000.oo
• Contribute up to $5,000.00 in moving
expenses for relocation to Tillsonburg
(with appropriate receipts).
• The physician recruit must reside within 15
kilometers of Tillsonburg
NOTE: IF physician is relocating from outside
of Ontario, the incentive is increase to
$10,000
$5,000.00
$10.000.00
• Six months of housing support up to
$7,350.00.
$7,350.00 • Six months of housing support up to
$7,350.00.
$7,350.00
• Up to $10,000 for Clinic space and
equipment updates, to the Clinic that will
employ the physician recruit (with
appropriate receipts) (i.e. Electronic
Medical Record, new equipment)
$10,000.00 • Clinic space including payment for clerical
support to manage bookings, office visits
and patient records for up to six months.
This is not a permanent arrangement and
the Hospital will work with the recruit to
develop a clinic within the hospital that is
cost neutral to the Hospital.
$10,000.00
• Maximum $6,000 per month, for the first
six months, payable to the physician
recruit toward clinic overhead costs (with
appropriate receipts).
$36,000.00 • Stipend of $30,000 based on a five-year
return of service agreement for full service
to the hospital and community;
$30,000.00
• The Family Physician commitment to the
hospital and the community will include:
a five-year return of service
agreement;
work a minimum of four (4) full days
of office practice; and
Practice in the hospital (i.e. ED work,
Hospitalist, Surgical Assistant).
TOTAL INCENTIVE $58,350.00 $52,350.00
TOTAL INCENTIVE IF PHYSICIAN MOVING
OUT OF PROVINCE
$63,350.00 $57,350.00
The total amount that could be reimbursed per recruit, based on the proposed support
model will be a 50/50 split between the Town of Tillsonburg and TDMH.